Sugar Inflation: How Soda and Candy Taxes Are Taking Over the Global Economy.
While French deputies are fighting back against "sausage taxes," so-called sin taxes (sin taxes)—in particular, taxes on sugar and sweet drinks—have already become a harsh reality in dozens of countries around the world. Governments explain this as a way to fight obesity and diabetes, but in fact it is one of the easiest ways to quickly fill deficit budgets. How it works in the world: France (exacerbation in 2026-2027): France already introduced a tax on soda in 2012. However, as part of the tight budget debate, the government approved the expansion of the sugar tax to all ultra-processed products with a high sugar content (sweets, pastries, ready-made desserts and other sweets). The goal is to raise hundreds of millions of euros more. United Kingdom: The UK Soft Drinks Industry Tax (SDIL) is considered a "success case". It is related to the volume of sugar: if a drink contains more than 8 grams of sugar per 100 ml, the manufacturer pays the maximum rate. This forced brands (including Coca-Cola and Pepsi) to reformulate en masse for the UK market, reducing the amount of sugar. Russia (excise tax from 2023): In the Russian Federation there is an excise tax on drinks containing sugar in the amount of 7 rubles per liter (for drinks with a sugar content of more than 5 grams per 100 ml). From the end of 2025, kvass and herbal drinks also fell under it. The Ministry of Health promised to use all the billions of rubles collected to fight diabetes. The main economic paradox: Critics of the tax (including large food manufacturers) point out that the sugar tax is regressive. This hits hardest in the pockets of the poorest, who spend most of their income on basic food. In addition, the business simply passes costs on to customers, which is why every candy and drink on the shelves becomes more expensive.